Mark Davis

The part that is always omitted is assimilation. When people romanticize immigration, that story starts with a dream but also involves the immigrants assimilating to their new country, western culture. That doesn't mean they give up their religion, but they embrace what it is about that culture that made that land more desirable from the one they came from. What Europe is finding is that they have too many who don't want to embrace the western culture and it's detrimental to their long term stability. That's just reality and they have a finite amount of time to correct the issue.

She was an Alpha Phi at Alabama. They are far from your standard left wing group. If anyone recalls the outcry over the Alabama sorority with all white girls blowing bubbles, in bikinis etc. that had everyone outraged because they were white, fit, pretty, etc. that was Alpha Phi. She had a tweet during her college days that said "Idk if I wanna room with a lesbian". I'm not hating on her, she's made a lot of money off this whole thing, but she's not what she portrays on air.

American Flu or Kung Flu?

No, and it's quite dangerous and damaging to their future. They are preying on those with mental weakness or those whose parents have often groomed them into this belief. I don't use that term loosely, but I feel it's appropriate. That's why this kooky idea is a step too far beyond the left vs right arguments. It's amazing how far we've devolved on some of these issues. The right isn't perfect by any means, but this kind of stuff is why Trump won. The majority of the American people view this as a kooky argument. Even a good many of those who voted for Harris feel that way. It's a 75/25 or 80/20 issue.

I'd settle for a flat tax and stopping all the carve outs. It might force some of my colleagues to hit the unemployment line, or find other consulting sources, but our tax code is pretty horrendous.

It was all I could do even as a former CPA to not stand and cheer.

What would a DNA test on a sample from a trans person tell you about their sex? We both know the answer but that’s the point. You’re asking me to believe an opinion and I’m choosing to believe what science tells us. I used the chromosome argument, I can use DNA as a substantive case, there is nothing other than someone’s feeling to counter it.

Again, unless chromosomes and what we’ve long known about sexes to be true somehow has unraveled, you’re making a statement that is false. I haven’t stated anything that isn’t scientifically factual to make my case. You’re bringing feelings and beliefs in to justify your position. Someone’s feelings or beliefs aren’t facts.

You’re reaching here IMO. The more appropriate analogy to this story would be scientifically I would advocate that the water would help things grow because it’s based in fact. Your argument is more the religious or spiritual belief that just because you want to believe something it should therefore be considered correct. If you have xx chromosomes and female reproductive parts you’re a girl. If you have xy chromosomes and male reproductive organs you’re a boy. I realize there are some specific cases of shades in the middle. But for the majority of people they fall directly into one of these two categories. You’re asking for someone’s belief to trump (yes I realize the irony) what biologically they factually are. In this case I submit to you that it is you taking the side of religion and feeling versus one of objective and scientific fact.

I know what xy and xx chromosomes mean. It’s like understanding why the sky is blue. My little girl could tell me it’s green. However, I shouldn’t lie to her to make her believe something that is factually false. It only harms her going forward and indulging these delusions is just that. That’s what you are essentially promoting.

Feeling something is correct when reality is factually different is pretty close to what I'd have given as a layman's example of mental illness.

Probably the longest argument I've had here was on this very point. The government has already had their cut, they shouldn't get a second pass at it. When it comes to federal taxation, the problem many have is they see incremental rates as making a huge difference while it only taxes those with earned income. The vast majority of the 0.1% of top earners are making theirs through capital gains. You could raise the top rate to 100% and our budget wouldn't be close to in balance.

Not always the smoothest either. As a former accountant it's surprising to me how many erroneous 1099's my business receives from companies who are much larger and should have competent departments to issue them.

Yep, "shill bidding". It was common back then because otherwise people's items would sell for low amounts if only one interested party. Ebay frowned on it but it was rampant. Buyer's remorse always won out, I had daily unpaid item reports to get back sales fees for unpaid purchases

Yep. I used to get checks and money orders in the mail. There was no buy it now. I had to run 3, 5, 7, or 10 day auction format listings to sell inventory in various quantities. For proof of delivery I was sending old certified letters like attorneys do so I could show someone signed for the item.

I started my business in ‘99 selling on eBay. God those days were brutal and dealing with the dregs of society on there. At least now with the buy it now stuff you get paid. I used to have a default on payment rate of nearly 20%

I hope for his benefit that's the reason he stated that. The alternative is really concerning.

It’s telling that you find it amusing that gang members escaped capture. Hopefully nobody loses their life as a result but if it’s true they’ve identified the leak, we need to save a spot at Gitmo for them.

Well, and few of us old enough to be using these type message boards are young enough that we should be having risk thresholds of having enough crypto or other high risk investments to garner those type numbers. Index funds may be boring, but they get the job done like 4 yard runs on 1st and 10.

I'll admit it wasn't my favorite Trump moment and not something I liked to see. But if people really thought we were taking troops to Gaza, it would be the one reason to legit breath into the brown paper bag. Trump always starts from an extreme position, to try and gain something from moderating. He does it repeatedly.

On the border when it comes to Mexico alone we have people here both arguing nothing happened as well as arguing, well the 10,000 troops happened but it won't matter. So either he got the 10K or he didn't, they are effective or they aren't. The left can't decide which end of the argument they want because the two are at opposite ends. So you have people making exact opposite arguments for why Trump got owned, backed down, whatever the talking heads catch phrase of the moment is. It can't be both, in reality it's neither, and while there may be some flaws to what he did get, it was more than what we had gotten from the Mexican government. Take Trump out of it, because people are so personally invested they can't evaluate what's happening. Someone in the WH, him or someone else, is orchestrating these things. Even people like CNN's Bakari Sellers are admitting Democrats are flat footed on these things. He's flooding the zone and the attack dogs don't know which is real and what to attack. We aren't putting American troops in Gaza. One of the few things I think you and I agree on is that we shouldn't. Like I said, I think it's a head fake. If I'm wrong, I will say I was wrong.

This is what's happening. When this came out yesterday, I was like no way. His coalition is built on people not wanting American boots on the ground in foreign land but promoting peace through strength as well. Not backing down, but not getting into hopeless quagmires we can't win. This part of the world is one of those. If he does it, come back and quote me and I'll own it. But this was a head fake, Michael Jordan used to do it all the time. I mean Netanyahu could hardly keep a straight face if you look at the clips. When someone jumps at it, it leaves you wide open to do something else you really want to do. It's an analogy but this story soaked up all the evening talking heads' coverage last night. They paid little to no attention to anything else going on from the White House.

I personally don't believe that the true intention is for us to be an occupying force there, just rhetoric. I have no interest in seeing US forces there. If there's someone we need to kill, kill them and leave. No need to stay, don't want the territory, nothing for us there.

The population's mindset is totally poisoned with what is taught there. There's a reason the Egyptians or Jordanians won't take them in. Like you said, they chose their leadership and where it's gotten them.

Oh I'm sure corruption is rampant there. I'd rather have more help than less even if they are 20% effective. The heavy lift is going to have to be done by our side.